Improvement in track-clearers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

W. HALSTED. Track Clearer.

Patente d 0 ct. 23, 1877.

N.PETERS, EkO TO-LIT1iOG RAFHEH, WASHINGTONv Dv C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W HALSTED. Track Clearer.

No. 196,294. Patented Oct. 23, 1877.

4. PEIIERS. PNOTO-LITNOG RAPHERL\VAH INGTON. n c.

UNITED STATES.

WVILLIAM HALSTED, OF TRENTON, NEWV JERSEY.

IM PROVEMENT IN TRACK-CLEARERS.

Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No. 196,294, dated October23, 1877; application filed August 2, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM HALSTED, of the city of Trenton, in thecounty of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Locomotive Track-Lighter and Life-PreservingTrack- Olearer; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved method of lightingrailroad-tracks, and in such a manner as to enable the engineer todiscover obstructions upon the track more easily and at a greaterdistance than has heretofore been practicable, and also to means forremoving such obstructions, and, if there be human beings or liveanimals upon the track, to remove them without destroying life orfatally injuring them.

Figure l is a plan, Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section through theline 2 2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a rear elevation, and Figs. 4 and 5 details,of apparatus illustrating my invention.

A is a triangular box, just long enough to fiton and to cover thecow-catcher, and in this respect is made substantially in the samemanner as that described in the specification of my spark-arrester,patented September 28, 1875,

No. 168,091. I suspend a frame the whole length of each of the sides ofthis triangular box, such frames being composed of a piece, B, say aboutfrom six to eight inches wide, and of another piece, 0, or projectiontherefrom at its back end, of about the same width, which should extenddownward nearly to the bottom of the triangular box, so as to be in theshape of a capital letter L, as shown in Fig. 4; or it may be of atriangular shape, broadest at its rear end, as shown in Fig. 5. Thispiece or these pieces, as the case may be, I perforate with a number ofholes, d I, along the whole length of each of them, or otherwise, theseholes being of a diameter from a quarter to a half inch, so that smallcords or ropes 0 may be readily passed through them. F F are mattresses,a few inches longer and a few inches wider than the side of thetriangular box A, and stufied with straw or husks, moss, cotton, or anyother soft or pliable substance. The covering of the mattress may becloth, coarse linen, bagging, or leather.

I attach one of these mattresses at each side of box A, by securing twoof its sides to the perforated frame above named by means of small cordsrun through the holes at d in said frame, so that said mattress maybehung perpendicularly down along the side of the box A, and that itslower side or edge may be nearly on a level with the top of the rail G.

Another mattress, II, may be suspended upon an arched projection, I,which extends a few inches beyond the front part of the triangular box,and also a few inches around on each side of the mattresses F F. Thisprojection I should be made of iron or strong wood, with holesperforated through it at a distance of two or three inches apart, bymeans of which the mattress II may be attached to it, and be free toswing backward and forward on it. This mattress should be made wider atits bottom than at its top, so that its bottom part should extend beyondor overlap the side mattresses when either or both of the latter mayswing or be swung open, and this front mattress II should have its lowerpart about on the level with the top of the tracks or rails, for thepurpose of breaking the force of any blow which may be given by them.

India-rubber tubes k, of a diameter, say, from four to six inches, maybe attached to the lower edge of each one of the three mattresses,

so that any object lying or being on the track would come first incontact with such tubes and be shoved off sidewise by them. The sidewings or frameworks must be so attached at their upper part as not tofly open when their lower parts, together with the mattresses secured tothem, fly or swing up or open.

Over the front edge or end of this triangular box A, and consequentlyfarther forward and lower down than is practicable in ordinarylocomotives, I place a headlight, L, either an electric light or a lightmade from burning magnesium wire, or a gas-light, or any other havingrequisite illuminating power; and as in my construction there is noupright smoke stack to intercept or obstruct the view of the to discernany ol'lject: or animal on the railroad QLUSHGILH distance. ahead as tobe a-bleito di- 7 'IIllIliSlI the speed of the engine so much before itreaches it that the life-preserving machine 7 'Wfll'pllSll; or weirdeny'person or animal off the railroad Without fatally'or seriouslyinjuring 7 him or it. '-V

The side frames to which the mattresses are attached shonld'be snsendedliy hinges to the" V top of the box A,'in such a manner that theymay be moved or spread outward, on d conse qnently upward anddownwarrblilre the wings V V of a bird. This motion may begiven to themby'an eccentric or'eccentrics on one of the i V axles of the trnckwhiclisustains the boiler of V the engine, or by any other appropriate devicewhich will giveen endwise movement to the V. rods 1 Zettaehedto thelower part of the frames -orwingsl3orl30. no

' ,At thelower back-cornerof one; or both of the mattress-flames I' alsoattach a wire or red,

:m, which shall reach-11pm the: top of the boiler, and there passthrough aneye or pulley on top of the engine, and then conneetwitliother suit of the engineer more completely over the Whole track, Withoutany effort to lean to either side to see in advance of a smoke-stack,and also casting the rays farther forward than'ususl, 1

enables him to see dangers farther ahead, and

- eftords him more time for action, and, by the aid of air-brakes orother brakes-now in :gen V eral use, he: can thus applyend bringthesznne into operation more quickly and promptly than many dangersendcalamitiesend tolessen llGIQtOfOI'Q, and to slseken: up and stop: the itrain soonerthan otherwise, so as to avoid V beings on the track as, ineonjnnctionwiththe shown. and described. s V

:track-eleere1.-, to remove such persons or ent: lmails with butlittlearislr ofinjnry; Van r i, "Iclaimor 1. The traolnelearer as shown;and described, I r i V consistin-g ofthe triangular boxoverthe cowcatcher, provided with the pedsor mattresses F'Ras set iorth, V 1 ViThetrisngulerboxor shell Aof the oracle V r clearer, adapted to furnisha support for the hQHG Ilg lIi'; at itslorward end, snbstantiallyas V Incombination with the box A, the side wingsorfmmesBmnd thepadsormattresses, V V these wings beii-lg free to be operated :fi'omithe' V r7 wheels of V the engine, and in their motions V adaptedto ceuse tlieringing ofthe 'locomo r r V tivebell, substantially asend 1601313116purpose described; 7

Witnesses:

ANNIE S. MELLACI-I, ANNIE M. FITZPATRICK.

I -74. In combinetion with the box or shell r 1 adopted to support ahead-light at its fore- 1

